MOTIVATION IN PRACTICE

1. Which of the following is not one of the core job dimensions in the job characteristics model (JCM)?
A) task significance
B) feedback
C) autonomy
D) status
E) skill variety
D

2. Which of the following defines skill variety?

A) the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
B) the degree to which work activities generates direct and clear information about performance
C) the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure
D) the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people
E) the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities
E

3. Which of the following defines task identity?

A) the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
B) the degree to which work activities generates direct and clear information about performance
C) the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure
D) the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people
E) the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities
A

4. Which of the following defines autonomy?

A) the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work
B) the degree to which work activities generates direct and clear information about performance
C) the degree to which a job provides the worker freedom in scheduling and procedure
D) the degree to which a job has an impact on the lives or work of other people
E) the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities
C

5. Nikhil is a design manager for a production company. He independently assigns teams, chooses
projects, researches trends, and is able to work from home two to three days a week. He provides a
status report to the design director once a month. Based on this description, it's safe to say that Nikhil's
job is high in which job characteristic?
A) task identity
B) feedback
C) autonomy
D) task significance
E) skill variety
C

6. In the job characteristics model (JCM), what three core job dimensions combine to create meaningful
work?
A) autonomy, task identity, and feedback
B) skill variety, autonomy, and task significance
C) skill variety, autonomy, and feedback
D) feedback, task identity, and task significance
E) skill variety, task identity, and task significance
E

7. According to the job characteristics model, which of the following results in the maximum internal
rewards for an individual?
A) when they are given tangible rewards
B) when they learn that they personally have performed well on a task that they care about
C) when they initiate a program that enables them to work with a variety of like-minded colleagues
D) when their training is realized and their expectations are met
E) when they are singled out for praise for successfully completing an arduous task
B

8. What is another term for cross-training?

A) work enrichment
B) job sharing
C) work enlargement
D) job enhancement
E) job rotation
C

9. A trucking company routinely makes all of its office staff work for a week in the warehouse area:
loading trucks, cleaning trucks, and doing other work which they are capable of. This program is an
example of which of the following?
A) job rotation
B) job enlargement
C) job enrichment
D) job sharing
E) flex time
A

10. What is the main strength of job rotation?

A) It eliminates management involvement.
B) It increases motivation.
C) It increases productivity.
D) It decreases training costs
E) It decreases supervisor work load.
B

11. Aberdone Company has redesigned the jobs of the workers in accounts receivables. Instead of
simply billing customers, they are now responsible for what used to be management tasks, such as for
following up on non-payment, determining when bills will be sent to a collection agency, and what
accounts receivables can be written off as non-collectable. What term would best be used to describe
how the company is enriching the job dimensions?
A) task combination
B) vertical job expansion
C) formation of natural work units
D) establishing client relationships
E) opening feedback channels
D

12. How do most employees react to job enrichment?

A) decreased production
B) increased absenteeism
C) increased job satisfaction
D) decreased job satisfaction
E) increased turnover
C

13. Job enrichment increases the degree to which the worker controls the ________.
A) planning, execution, and evaluation of his or her work
B) planning, execution, and evaluation of company plans
C) horizontal integration of his or her tasks
D) feedback that a worker receives from his or her supervisor and peers
E) evaluation of his or her peers
C

14. Which one of the following is not one of the guidelines for enriching jobs based on the job
characteristics model?
A) form telecommuting units
B) establish client relationships
C) open feedback channels
D) combine tasks
E) expand jobs vertically
A

15. A firm introduces job enrichment in order to motivate its employees. Evidence would suggest that
which of the following is the most likely result of this change?
A) reduced absenteeism and turnover costs
B) lower fixed costs
C) a drop in quality
D) a decrease in productivity
E) an increase in productivity
A

16. Beyond redesigning the nature of the work itself and involving employees in decisions, another
approach to making the work environment more motivating is to alter work arrangements. Which of the
following is designed to give an employee greater control of their schedule?
A) flex time
B) job sharing
C) job rotation
D) telecommuting
E) job enrichment
 A

17. An arrangement that allows two or more individuals to split a traditional 40-hour-a-week job is
called ________.
A) flex time
B) job sharing
C) job rotation
D) telecommuting
E) job enrichment
B

18. Which of the following is the principal drawback from job sharing?
A) drawing on multiple talents for one job
B) increased benefits costs for two employees
C) difficulty in finding compatible partners
D) too much job flexibility is hard to manage
E) difficulty in coordinating schedules
C

19. Janice and Shunil are both senior software analysts. They have worked together on projects for six
years and get along great. Janice is pregnant and anticipating the arrival of her first child. Shunil would
like to experiment with opening his own business as a home media installation consultant. They both
need some income. Which of the following alternative job structures would be best for Janice and
Shunil?
A) flex time
B) telecommuting
C) job rotation
D) job sharing
E) job enrichment
D

20. Which of the following has not been shown to be a benefit of flex time?
A) reduced absenteeism
B) improved productivity
C) increased meaningfulness
D) increased satisfaction
E) improved promptness
E

21. Which of the following is a job that does not lend itself to telecommuting?
A) an attorney who spends most of her time researching on the computer
B) a writer of copy for an advertising firm
C) a car salesman who demonstrates the features of a new model of car
D) a telemarketer who uses the phone to contact clients
E) a product support specialist who fields calls from irate customers
C

22. Which of the following is a not a management benefit of telecommuting?

A) larger labor pool for recruitment
B) higher productivity of employees
C) decreased office expenditures
D) improved morale in general
E) decreased benefits expenses
D

23. After completing cooking school with outstanding grades and recommendations, Joe and Gary both
looked forward to working in restaurants. Joe found work as a short-order cook in a cramped diner. On
many shifts he worked alone, and had to cook a large number of meals on outdated equipment. Gary
found work in a modern hotel kitchen. He had a small staff helping him prepare a small number of
elaborate meals to order. Gary became a highly regarded chef, while Joe left the restaurant industry.
This example illustrates that an individual needs what in order to perform well?
A) ability and technical skills
B) motivation to perform
C) supportive work context
D) adequate compensation
E) feedback from superiors  
C

24. What term is used for a participative process that uses the entire capacity of employees and is
designed to encourage increased commitment to the organization's success?
A) MBO
B) employee involvement
C) reengineering
D) OB Mod
E) job sharing
B

25. What is the distinct characteristic common to all participative management programs?
A) joint decision making
B) autonomy
C) empowerment
D) productivity enhancement
E) quality awareness
A

26. Participative management is a method of management where ________.

A) subordinates make corporate decisions and management helps carry out those decisions
B) upper management participates in the organization's strategic planning
C) subordinates share a degree of decision-making power with their immediate superiors
D) low-level workers meet occasionally with the CEO to discuss problems within their department
E) low-level workers are responsible for making corporate policy decisions
C

27. Research studies conducted on the participation-performance relationship show that the use of
participation ________.
A) enhances job satisfaction
B) increases motivation
C) has only a modest influence on employee productivity
D) greatly influences employee attitudes
E) lowers costs considerably
B

28. Research shows that works councils tend to be ineffective for which of the following reasons?
A) Members of works council tend to side with management when making decisions for fear of being
punished.
B) Works councils represent the wishes of employees that are often at odds with the best direction of
an organization.
C) Works councils are dominated by management and their input has little impact on employees or the
organization.
D) Works councils insert an extra element into decision making which slows the response of an
organization to changing conditions.
E) Members of works councils are, in general, not qualified to make large decisions concerning the
direction of an organization.
A

29. What is the goal of representative participation?

A) for workers to own the firms where they work
B) to help workers' self-esteem
C) to provide greater motivation and productivity
D) to redistribute power within the organization
E) to empower high-level managers
C

30. Much of the compensation of traders at Synalco, a metals trading company, is in the form of stock
options. The amount of options distributed is based on the company's net profits. What sort of
compensation plan is this?
A) profit sharing
B) gainsharing
C) merit based
D) ESOP
E) employee ownership
A